Condensed Consolidated Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2009	Jun. 30, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Net revenues		$ 396,185		$ 372,496		$ 338,319		$ 291,607		$ 306,337		$ 392,669		$ 299,262		$ 201,570				$ 1,398,607		$ 1,199,838		$ 1,461,687
Cost of sales																				924,498		976,807		1,073,592
Oil and gas impairments		107,500		2,400		22,700		0		9,200		900		159,900		11,100		64,600	48,200	132,603		181,083		120,550
Exploration expense																				10,914	[1]	8,276	[1]	24,383	[1]
Gross profit (loss)		31,023	[2]	122,295	[2]	100,198	[2]	77,076	[2]	16,082	[3]	86,552	[3]	(94,818)	[3]	25,856	[3]			330,592		33,672		243,162
Goodwill impairments										(16,700)												(16,743)	[4]
Gain on oil and gas derivative commodity contracts																						1,088		89,485
Gain on sale of assets, net																				4,525		9,405		2,019
Selling, general and administrative expenses																				(99,589)		(122,078)		(130,851)
Loss from operations																				235,528	[5]	(94,656)	[5]	203,815	[5]
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates																				22,215		19,469		32,329
Gain on investment in Cal Dive common stock	(2,900)																			753				77,343
Other than temporary loss on equity investments										(2,200)										(10,563)		(2,240)
Net interest expense and other																				(99,953)		(86,324)		(51,495)
Income (loss) before income taxes																				147,980		(163,751)		261,992
(Benefit) provision for income taxes																				14,903		(39,598)		95,822
Income (loss) from continuing operations																				133,077		(124,153)		166,170
Discontinued operations, net of tax																								9,581
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																				133,077		(124,153)		175,751
Net income applicable to noncontrolling interests																				(3,098)		(2,835)		(19,697)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix		16,763	[6]	46,026	[6]	41,323	[6]	25,867	[6]	(49,811)	[7]	26,171	[7]	(85,517)	[7]	(17,831)	[7]			129,979		(126,988)		156,054
Preferred stock dividends																				(40)		(114)		(54,187)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders		16,753		46,016		41,313		25,857		(49,821)		26,161		(85,551)		(17,891)				129,939		(127,102)		101,867
Helix [Member]
Net revenues																				84,748		183,147		211,222
Cost of sales																				72,902		124,722		162,225
Gross profit (loss)																				11,846		58,425		48,997
Gain on sale of assets, net																				(6)		3,159
Selling, general and administrative expenses																				(74,205)		(67,165)		(52,101)
Loss from operations																				(62,365)		(5,581)		(3,104)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates																				262,990		(60,443)		145,340
Gain on investment in Cal Dive common stock																				753				77,343
Other than temporary loss on equity investments																						(2,240)
Net interest expense and other																				(158,299)		(59,522)		(18,188)
Income (loss) before income taxes																				43,079		(127,786)		201,391
(Benefit) provision for income taxes																				(63,242)		(9,175)		43,417
Income (loss) from continuing operations																								157,974
Discontinued operations, net of tax																								99
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																				106,321		(118,611)		158,073
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix																				106,321		(118,611)		158,073
Preferred stock dividends																				(40)		(114)		(54,187)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																				106,281		(118,725)		103,886
Guarantors [Member]
Net revenues																				1,059,255		801,503		701,706
Cost of sales																				673,415		659,859		484,802
Oil and gas impairments																				112,636		176,088		120,550
Exploration expense																				10,914		8,276		24,383
Gross profit (loss)																				262,290		(42,720)		71,971
Gain on oil and gas derivative commodity contracts																						1,088		89,485
Gain on sale of assets, net																				4,531		287		2,019
Selling, general and administrative expenses																				(38,915)		(34,233)		(28,520)
Loss from operations																				227,906		(75,578)		134,955
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates																				7,340		8,473		(1,725)
Net interest expense and other																				(32,345)		(21,677)		(16,978)
Income (loss) before income taxes																				202,901		(88,782)		116,252
(Benefit) provision for income taxes																				69,890		(35,299)		39,855
Income (loss) from continuing operations																								76,397
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																				133,011		(53,483)		76,397
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix																				133,011		(53,483)		76,397
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																				133,011		(53,483)		76,397
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Net revenues																				367,114		334,726		648,705
Cost of sales																				289,462		297,056		521,689
Oil and gas impairments																				19,967		4,995
Gross profit (loss)																				57,685		32,675		127,016
Goodwill impairments																						(16,743)
Gain on sale of assets, net																						5,959
Selling, general and administrative expenses																				12,101		(22,482)		(53,919)
Loss from operations																				69,786		(591)		73,097
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates																				22,215		19,469		33,229
Other than temporary loss on equity investments																				(10,563)
Net interest expense and other																				67,181		(5,125)		(15,341)
Income (loss) before income taxes																				148,619		13,753		90,985
(Benefit) provision for income taxes																				8,186		9,405		13,571
Income (loss) from continuing operations																								77,414
Discontinued operations, net of tax																								9,482
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																				140,433		4,348		86,896
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix																				140,433		4,348		86,896
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																				140,433		4,348		86,896
Consolidating Entries [Member]
Net revenues																				(112,510)		(119,538)		(99,946)
Cost of sales																				(111,281)		(104,830)		(95,124)
Gross profit (loss)																				(1,229)		(14,708)		(4,822)
Selling, general and administrative expenses																				1,430		1,802		3,689
Loss from operations																				201		(12,906)		(1,133)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates																								(900)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates																				(270,330)		51,970		(143,615)
Net interest expense and other																				23,510				(988)
Income (loss) before income taxes																				(246,619)		39,064		(146,636)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes																				69		(4,529)		(1,021)
Income (loss) from continuing operations																								(145,615)
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																				(246,688)		43,593		(145,615)
Net income applicable to noncontrolling interests																				(3,098)		(2,835)		(19,697)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix																				(249,786)		40,758		(165,312)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																				$ (249,786)		$ 40,758		$ (165,312)

[1] See Note 5 for additional information related to the components of our exploration costs, including impairment charges for expiring unproved leases.

[2] Includes oil and gas property impairment charges totaling $22.7 million in the second quarter of 2011 and $2.4 million in the third quarter of 2011. Our fourth quarter of 2011 includes a total of $107.5 million of impairment charges, including $79.3 million related to eight oil and gas properties to reduce them to their estimated fair value at December 31, 2011 and $28.2 million to increase certain non-producing properties estimated asset retirement obligations, including $15.9 million related to our one U.K. oil and gas property (Note 5). The fourth quarter also includes a $6.6 million impairment charge to reduce our Australian well intervention equipment to is estimated fair value at December 31, 2011. There were no asset impairment charges in the first quarter of 2011.

[3] Includes oil and gas property impairment charges totaled $11.1 in the first quarter of 2010, $159.9 million in the second quarter of 2010, $0.9 million in the third quarter of 2010 and $9.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.

[4] Amount reflects full write off of goodwill associated with our WOSEA operations.

[5] Includes $16.7 million of goodwill impairment charge for year ending December 31, 2010 related to our contracting services segment. Also includes approximately $132.6 million, $181.1 million and $120.6 million of asset impairment charges for certain oil and gas properties for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 respectively.

[6] Our fourth quarter 2011 includes a $10.6 million other than temporary impairment loss on our equity investment in our Australian joint venture (Note 7). The fourth quarter also includes a $31.3 million tax benefit related to reorganization of our Australian well intervention business.

[7] Includes an impairment charges of $16.7 million to reduce goodwill associated with our Australia well intervention business in the fourth quarter of 2010 (Note 2).